As soon as the Giants hired Pat Shurmur as head coach two weeks ago, linebacker Mark Herzlich contacted teammate Rhett Ellison for reconnaissance, Dan Duggan of the Newark Star-Ledger reports.

"The first thing I did was call Rhett Ellison and I was like, 'Hey, tell me about him,' because Rhett knows," Herzlich said of Ellison, who played for Shurmur with the Vikings in 2016. "Rhett really liked him. He said he was great to play for. He said he utilizes his players well. So I'm excited to see how that goes."

Herzlich visited the Giants' facility last week to meet Shurmur and reconnect with new general manager Dave Gettleman, who was the Giants' pro personnel director when Herzlich was signed as an undrafted free agent in 2011.

"I've gone in and I had a nice conversation (with Shurmur)," Herzlich said. "I stopped by the other day and met some of the other coaches. I sat down with Gettleman. It seems like a really good vibe."

"I'm in no hurry to be going anywhere," said Herzlich, who signed a veteran minimum contract last offseason. "So we'll see how the next couple of months progress. If the Giants stay my home, which would be fantastic, then I feel like I'm in great hands. I've got great coaches and a great general manager and then obviously the Tisches and the Maras, whether I'm playing for the Giants or not, they're always family. It's a great place to be."